The First Date
by Izzu
Summary: He never done it before, or think of doing something special for her. Frustrated, three persons hitched a plan for him to spend more time with Kaoru. Will it worked as planned? Set after Byakuya.
1. Chapter 1

az: My NaNoWriye challenge is coming to a close real soon. Wonder if I could make it in time.

* * *

The first date

By honou-no-izumi alias Izzu alias Izumi Ishtar

o

o

"_Demonic Horrors that lurk in the darkness…"_

"_Demons that hate, that feeds upon mankind…"_

"_There was a time when humans lived in fear of these fiends from the shadows…__"_

"_But mankind received a ray of hope. The light of hope that was the Makai Knights. The demon hunters, the protectors of mankind…"_

"…_t__hus, they were exalted by humanity…"_

xxx

It was already several days since Mitsuki Kaoru had returned into the Saejima household after completing her training. For Gonza, it was a delightful feeling to have her back living with them. Yet, he felt that there was still something missing. Something that he had hoped to happen but did not, much to his despair. Of course, as a butler, he should not expect much. He could not make demands to his charge to make his wishes come true, Even then, as an old man who had been like a second father to the son of Saejima Taiga; Gonza could not but hope for Kouga to find his own happiness.

For that, he sighed again.

"…it's almost a week already."

"Hmm? Gonza, were you saying something?"

Gonza jumped, as he turned around to find Kaoru and Master Kouga staring at him in puzzlement.

"Are you expecting someone Gonza?"

Gonza jumped and fidgeted before running back towards the kitchen to bring out the food for breakfast that he had already prepared. Kouga and Kaoru looked at the fleeting sight of Gonza with concern.

xxx

"Eh, Kouga. Did you notice how Gonza had been acting strangely these past few days?"

"_I agree… Gonza seemed strange. Like he's up to something—"_

Kouga glanced towards Zaruba on his right hand before turning towards Kaoru. He turned away as he leaned back on his chair.

"Hnn... it doesn't bother me. Mind your own business."

Kaoru pouted a little as her attention was diverted towards the food that just arrived. Gonza smiled a little as he served the two breakfast meal to both of his charges. Kouga looked up as he noticed Gonza still standing before them.

Kouga frowned.

"Gonza—?"

"Kouga-sama, do you have any plans to go out for today?"

He blinked. Zaruba snickered a little.

"Err... I hadn't—why?"

"—then, won't you mind, sorry if this request seemed sudden—Miss Kaoru, you are also free today, aren't you?"

This time, both Kouga and Kaoru wore the perplexed look.

"Gonza-san, wha—"

At that moment, the doorbell rang as Gonza left the room in a hurry leaving Kaoru's unfinished question unanswered. Kouga just shrugged as he started on his meal as Kaoru remained stunned over Gonza's sudden outburst. It was not long before another commotion caught their attention again. Kouga frowned as the grinning face of Suzumura Rei emerged into view.

Kouga stood as he walked towards the hall.

"Why did you come here so suddenly?"

Rei laughed.

"Is that your usual greetings towards your friends? I'm not surprised that not many people taken a liking to you the way you addressed them. Can't I just come here for a visit? Surely there's more to life than just about hunting Horrors. Why don't you just smile and greeted us nicely for a change—"

"Wha—I'm not that anti-social—what do you mean by 'us'? And why—"

"Hahaha… you shouldn't be that surprised, Rei-kun. Besides—"

Jabi appeared behind Rei as she flashed a smile towards Kouga and Kaoru.

"—Kouga's always like that. And our visit had been sudden anyway."

"_Haha… I sensed a __conspiracy…",_ muttered Zaruba as Silva cut in. _"Shush you…"_

Rei chucked over the little banter between the Madou jewelleries.

"Jabi—?"

"Kouga!"

Kouga gasped aloud as a sudden weight slammed towards his middle. He looked down as he saw Rin's smiling face looking up towards him.

"Rin? Why are you here also? What—"

Rin pulled away from Kouga before exchanging a short greeting to Zaruba as she ran towards Kaoru.

"Hi! Rin never met you before… you must be Kouga's girlfriend! Rin heard a lot about you from Jabi and Rei-nii. My name is Yamagatana Rin, what's your name?"

Kaoru blinked in surprise before chuckling.

"I'm Mitsuki Kaoru, I also heard a lot about you from Kouga…"

"Hey—!"

Jabi and Rei grabbed Kouga as they headed towards the dining table. "We'll explain…"

Rei grinned as Jabi winked at Kouga.

"Don't worry, we didn't just come visit only to crash your love-love moments with Kaoru—"

Kouga glared towards Jabi as the young priestess laughed in glee.

xxx

"There's more to this than just a social visit, huh?"

Jabi turned towards Kouga and shrugged before turning back to eye some of Kaoru's early paintings hung on the walls along the hallways. She smiled.

"Your place looked like a private gallery for Kaoru-chan now—"

"_You can practically say that. Kaoru drew a lot during her stay here…" _

Jabi whistled as she heard Zaruba's comment and grinned as she came to a big portrait of GARO and ZERO fighting back to back. At every paintings that she passed by, Jabi kept showing her amusement over the various paintings as Zaruba gave his commentaries over them. Jabi smiled. She turned towards Kouga as they almost reached the end of the corridor.

"—of course, Kouga. This isn't just a simple social visit. Kantai had been quite peaceful since that trouble with Legules and its clan. Perhaps because Legules practically turned a lot of Horrors around the area into its own, there's not a lot to take down over there. And Tsubasa and his men did their jobs quite efficiently. I needed to get some place where I could show some practical skills to Rin without being thought of being a hindrance and I thought of here, since more Horrors tend to appear here than the other regions. Also, you were here... and Rei too."

Kouga leered at her.

"Are you sure it's just for Rin's training? I'm sure you could have just pick some other place or just remained in Kantai—"

"—but the Eastern Region was the only one which had the people that I knew, namely you and Rei. I'm not sure if my intrusion would be accepted well by the other Knights guarding the other regions, and it's a nice change to get out of Kantai once a while. Rin also wanted to visit here again."

Kouga snorted in sarcasm. Jabi skipped to his side.

"By the way, how's the development between you and Kaoru? Hnn... considering that I'm here and Rei still served under the Eastern Division, why don't you take some days off and go on a date with Kaoru-chan? And let the two of us handle the Horrors..."

"Jabi, you—"

"Don't tell me you never asked her on a date before—"

Zaruba snickered.

"I—"

"—or did you doubt my abilities? Kouga, you know how I cared about Rin. I wouldn't risk her life if it's dangerous for her. And seeing the spells in action would have helped her master her priestess's skills—"

"No, I didn't—"

"Kouga..."

Kouga stared at Jabi in alarm as she took hold of his arm. "You've done a lot for me and everyone in the past. Why not take it easy and try living a normal life without having to worry about your Makai duties for a change? You deserved it—"

Kouga chuckled.

"And _you_ said you had no other hidden motives to coming here—"

Jabi grinned. Zaruba snorted as Kouga glared at the Madou ring.

"_Maa... ne._"

xxx

"Hey Kaoru…"

Kaoru stopped sketching as she turned towards Rei.

"What is it?"

"Had you ever dreamed of a perfect date with your precious Kouga-sama?"

Kaoru's face immediately turned bright red as Rin and Rei turned to laugh. Rei coughed a little before adding, "—had you?"

"_Rei!"_

Rei gestured Silva to calm down as he grinned. Kaoru covered her face with her sketchpad as she addressed the young Makai Knight.

"What's with suddenly asking that question… of course, I once thought about that. But, I know Kouga… and he's not used to these kinds of things and also of his dangerous job. I don't want to force or pressure him to doing something that he's not used to do—"

"—you're so kind, Kaoru-neechan!" teased Rei as Rin giggled merrily.

"Don't tease me—" Kaoru chided as she finished her sketch. "—here you go, Rin."

Rin jumped out of the chair in front of Kaoru as she hurried to see the sketch of herself that Kaoru had made. The little girl exclaimed happily as Kouga and Jabi returned to the living room.

"Kouga, look! Kaoru-nee-san drew me!"

Kouga smiled as Jabi knelt down before the little girl.

"How nice… hey, Rin. How about we do a little practice lesson at the backyard?"

Rin happily nodded her head as she followed Jabi out of the room. Kouga glanced towards Rei before addressing Kaoru.

"Kaoru… would you mind going out with me to the city today?"

xxx

Rei snickered as Kaoru blinked in surprise. Silva chided the young knight as Rei stood and patted Kouga on the shoulder.

"Good luck!" Said Rei as Kouga suspiciously eyed him as he left. Gonza, who had passed by mouthed a short thank you to him as he followed the young man along the corridors. Kouga saw it and wondered if everything that happened today was a conspiracy cooked up by the three.

"_Hey… Kouga!"_

He turned abruptly around as Kaoru stood before him. Kouga swallowed nervously as Kaoru opened her mouth to speak.

"—of course, I don't mind going out with you today…"


	2. Chapter 2

az: Took me this long enough to continue this fic. I'l check on this later.

* * *

The first date

By honou-no-izumi alias Izzu alias Izumi Ishtar

o

o

"Master Kouga... excuse me..."

Kouga turned around to see Gonza entering his room, just as the old man let out an exclamation over his choice of attire. He frowned. What's wrong with this? The usual attire that he always wears...

"That's not it!" exclaimed Gonza some more as he almost stripped Kouga completely of his clothes spare his trousers.

"Gonza! What are you—?" Kouga started to say before he was shoved another set of clothes; an off-white shirt and a black vest. He stared blankly at Gonza as the old man hastily picked up the cast off clothes.

"Wear these. Don't bother looking at your closet, Master Kouga. I've placed a padlock on it so that you won't change into something else other than the ones I've prepared for you. You have to look good for Kaoru-sama after all,"

"But I always..." Kouga blinked at the old man helplessly as Gonza closed the door behind him. He looked down at the clothes Gonza shoved at him. Neatly pressed and ironed, as if he had planned this all along. Gonza definitely had a hand with Jabi and Rei's arrival to the mansion. Without a doubt.

He sighed.

How in the world could he bear walking out in the open without wearing any of his usual protective gears?

xxx

"Whoa! You looked quite handsome, Kouga! I didn't expect you looking like this!"

She hadn't imagine that Kouga could actually dress up like a normal person... she was so used to seeing Kouga in his usual attire that it was weird to see him in anything else but that. But this was a good change... she won't deny it. She might be imagining it right now... but it looked like there was a slight bit colour on his cheeks. Was Kouga... blushing?

"Si... silly! What did you mean I looked _quite_ handsome? I don't look good to you before?" Kouga blurted out as Kaoru chortled uncontrollably. She quickly walked up to him to give him a hug.

"It's not that... it's just, seeing you ike this is ike seeing a part of you that I could only imagine. I can't help teasing you," said Kaoru as she gave him a peck on his cheek. Zaruba started laughing.

"_You should thank Gonza for that. I have to say I am amused to see Kouga so flustered..._"

Kouga lifted his fist towards himself as he scolded the _madougu_. "Shut up, Zaruba. I don't need you to tease me as well," he started to say as Kaoru dragged him downstairs to show him off to the others.

xxx

"Looking good! I figured you'll look pretty good in black and white. Though it was so hard to decide on just ONE outfit. Lucky there's Jabi here..." said Rei as he averted the cushion that suddenly came flying towards him. He chuckled. "Hey! At least it matched with Kaoru-chan's dress! Don't tell me you didn't compliment her... Jabi and Rin had been working hard to make her pretty for you. Here... let me add some finishing touch on you..."

Kaoru turned to look at the two men as Rei tried his best to try changing Kouga's hairstyle with his hands. Come to think, Kouga had been very quiet after seeing her in her new dress. She was wondering if he liked her outfit... and the makeover Jabi insisted on her. She thought that Jabi dolled her up a bit too much and wanted to remove some of it. But Jabi threatened her if she did... so she gave up. She was nervous about what Kouga thought...

"Stop it Rei! Enough!" exclaimed Kouga as Rei skipped aside, giggling happily. Jabi walked up to him and held out her hand.

"Now, give it up,"

Kouga stared at her blankly as she repeated the request. "Zaruba. Give it to me now!"

"Eh?" Kouga gasped as Rei leaned over his shoulder.

"Since you're going on a date, we're making sure that there'll be no troublesome distractions. You'll have no excuse to leave Kaoru alone to fight off some random Horror that might pop up today. So that means leaving Zaruba behind, your sword... everything! You're not allowed to think about your duties as a Makai Knight today. Not at all. Plus, I'm still in charge of the Eastern region."

Kouga stared at him in alarm before turning around to see his sword being placed against the hearth, guarded by Rin. He turned to give Jabi a look of disbelief before reluctantly giving up Zaruba to her.

"Rei... Jabi... how can you possibly...?"

"You haven't gotten any break, isn't it?" said Jabi as Rei added.

"You've been hard at working since Messiah and Barago, as well as that order to go to the north. And we're not even counting the things we've been doing in Kantai. They haven't called you back yet, so you should take it easy. You worked too hard, you deserved this. Don't even try worrying about other people today,"

Kouga frowned at them and remained in silence as Kaoru took the chance to grab his hand. He glanced down as Kaoru shrugged at him.

Looking at her, a part of him felt troubled. Kaoru had always been waiting for him to spend their times together. Yet, because of his duties as a Makai Knight, that chance was hard to come by. Even if the past year both of them had been busy; him with his duty in the Northen regions and Kaoru studying abroad, he couldn't deny that both of them would miss each other dearly. But not like he could take any vacations... and don't these few days spent together was enough?

_Still,_ _ it was true that they haven't actually ever gone out on a proper date together... and he still owed Kaoru on that._

"Kouga?"

He blinked, before noticing that everyone was now staring at him. Embarrassed, he immediately grabbed Kaoru and marched towards the hallway... as Gonza chased after them worriedly.

xxx

Kouga frowned as he turned back to face Gonza and the others. "This isn't right, I should at least take my swo—"

Kaoru sighed as she started to walk back in. "I think Kouga's right, we shou—" Without warning, both of them were shoved out of the mansion as Jabi glared at them.

"Both of you better make an effort to enjoy yourselves today. Or I'll make sure that you do. I won't let you guys back here until you guys truly had fun!"

"Hey Jabi! Who's locking me out of whose h—" he shouted as she closed the door on his face. He sighed before turning to Kaoru. She shrugged.

"This was all their plan, isn't it? You just got forced to ask me out, right?"

"Kaoru—"

"It's alright. Then... should we go on a date? They didn't leave us any choice after all..."

Kouga shrugged as he recalled everything that his friends insisted both of them do. He sighed again. "Kaoru..."

Kaoru looked up to him as he fidgeted.

"I'm not used to this, I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do..."

She smiled. "Neither am I..."


End file.
